


The Tudors, Season 2, Episode 8, Lady in Waiting

by TheSomewhatRamblingReviewer



Category: The Tudors (TV)
Genre: Analysis, Episode Review, Episode: s02e08 Lady in Waiting, Meta, Nonfiction, Season/Series 02, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-10
Updated: 2020-07-10
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:00:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25176535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSomewhatRamblingReviewer/pseuds/TheSomewhatRamblingReviewer
Summary: Warning: Contains spoilers for the episode and the rest of the series. Complete.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 1





	The Tudors, Season 2, Episode 8, Lady in Waiting

I give the show points for this episode’s title. Jane is the lady who is waiting rather than simply a lady-in-waiting.

Open to Edward Seymour escorting Jane through the court. I love the blue shawl she’s wearing over her head. She arrives at Anne’s chambers, and the head lady-in-waiting warns her not speak to Anne until spoken to. Anne appears, and a priest asks Jane to place her hand on The Bible to swear to be a good lady-in-waiting.

After this is done, Anne examines Jane for a long moment before finally saying, “Lady Jane.”

In court, Eustace and Brereton talk, and apparently, Catherine’s autopsy indicates poison.

Naturally, Eustace doesn’t think he should either tell Henry or make this knowledge public. He’s a foreign ambassador. If Henry killed him or even imprisoned him without an extremely good reason, it would be a major deal. The most Henry could do was banish from court and possibly order him to return to his own country.

I can understand Brereton’s insistence on Anne having an extra fingernail and moles all over her body. Obviously, whoever his lady friend is realised he wanted to hear her trash-talk Anne and complied. When it comes to Eustace, however, I can’t tell if he’s deliberately lying, or if the show’s trying to make it ambiguous whether Catherine died of natural causes or not.

The two part, and Henry startles Eustace. After they discuss the emperor’s victory of the Turks, Henry summons Cromwell to follow him. Once they’re alone, he roughly shoves Cromwell against the wall. He orders Cromwell to find out what it would take to make an alliance with the emperor, and then, he asks about the reforms. Cromwell answers there will soon be a new bill. Henry asks about Cromwell’s family.

Cromwell has a wife, a son named Gregory, and two dead daughters. Henry orders him to bring Mrs Cromwell and Gregory to court.

In church, Jane has changed into her lady-in-waiting uniform. Anne is dressed in black. Henry continually eyes Jane, and this doesn’t escape Anne’s notice.

Anne and her ladies go outside and distribute alms, and Anne washes a man’s feet. One of the women who received money gleefully tells her friend it’s more than Catherine gave. I really don’t like this exchange, though, I can’t exactly pinpoint why.

Meanwhile, the French king is in Rome. He kisses the pope’s feet, and the pope charges him with invading England. The French king agrees, though, he looks at the pope with absolute hatred in his eyes.

In England, Anne and Boleyn walk. He tells her about the Seymour family, and in the show, Jane only has two siblings, her brothers Edward and Thomas. The family’s taken the oath, but it isn’t clear if they’re truly Reformers or not.

Elsewhere, Eustace visits Cromwell, and they talk about an alliance between Henry and the emperor. The emperor is willing to convince the pope not to excommunicate Henry, and since Catherine’s dead, the emperor’s willing to support Henry’s marriage to Anne on the condition Mary is restored as Henry’s legitimate heir. Making it clear the condition is non-negotiable, Eustace subtly asks if Cromwell will be his ally. Cromwell diplomatic answer is he’s going to remain neutral for the time being.

In another part of the castle, Jane walks by Mark and Wyatt. Mark comments on her prettiness. Wyatt is still dealing with finding Elizabeth dead, although, it doesn’t seem as if he’s actually told Mark any of the story.

As Jane’s walking through a hallway, a courtier approaches her.

Torrance Coombs didn’t appear until the third season, and he wasn’t as acknowledged as Culpepper and didn’t have any speaking lines until the fourth. However, because, this character does physically resemble Culpepper, and because, it would actually make sense if this were him, I’m going to go with it is.

Asking Jane to follow him, Culpepper says a friend wishes to see her. However, he won’t tell her who this friend is.

He leaves her alone in a room, and soon, Henry appears. Kneeling down beside her, he asks if he can worship her.

For this season Jane is a rather creepy person, and thus, she’s unbothered by the sinister undertones of Henry’s actions.

I don’t think Anita Briem meant for Jane to be creepy, but she’s often does things I find eerie. This could have been interesting, but unfortunately, outside of this, she has little-to-no personality. She comes across as if putting serious thought into anything is a foreign concept to her.

Meanwhile, George and Anne are playing cards. Anne mentions Mary is ill and that Henry removed her from Elizabeth’s household. She complains this is a sign he still loves his oldest daughter.

First, if he can stop loving Mary, he can stop loving Elizabeth. Second, depending on what the illness is, does she want a sick person around her toddler?

Elsewhere, Jane has told her father and brother about Henry’s desire to serve her. They’re happy he doesn’t seek an easy conquest, and Edward urges her not to give her virginity to Henry. John proudly declares Jane is inherently modest and virtuous, etc.

Let me say I reject the idea virginity is an indication of moral uprightness. Obviously, if someone loses their virginity by sexually assaulting someone, they’re a bad person. Otherwise, whether a person has had sex or not shouldn’t be considered when it comes to their moral character.

This said, in **The Six Wives of Henry VIII** , Anne Stallybrass, who gave my favourite performance of Jane Seymour to-date, was a shy, tactfully honest woman with strong feelings, clear opinions, and even some hobbies. She genuinely wanted to do everything she could to make Henry happy but begged Henry to respect her virginity. It was made clear she didn’t do it to make him want to marry her, as her family had arranged a marriage for her, and she assumed she’d be marrying her fiancé once her service at court was over.

Here, Henry is viewing Jane through a similar characterisation, but to me, it doesn’t fit this portrayal of her. Henry could easily seduce her into bed, and she’d handle it much like Mary Boleyn did. However, since Edward’s given her instructions, she’ll follow the characterisation Henry views her through more fully.

John and Edward talk about Jane being queen. This surprises her, and there’s an interesting moment where she says, “I thought-”

However, what she thought isn’t expanded on. Instead, she’s asked if she’d like to be queen, and in response, she lets out a laugh.

Meanwhile, Norris and Henry are playing chess, and Henry asks if Norris is engaged to Madge. Norris confesses to enjoying being single, and after making Norris uncomfortable by expressing his marital woes, Henry orders Norris to plan a joust.

During the night, George goes to his chambers where Lady R is violently combing her hair. She demands to know where he’s been. Eventually, she reveals she knows about his affair with Mark, and she expresses the accepted, homophobic beliefs of the time. Interestingly, she also says he’s condemned to live forever in purgatory.

From my understanding, purgatory is mostly a Catholic belief.

After being physically abusive, he storms off.

At the joust, Lady R is sitting with CB. Charles Brandon dedicates his match to his wife, and Lady R opines CB has a fine husband.

I realise Lady R doesn’t know most, if any, of this, but: He verbally disrespected a woman when her father caught them together, he presumably married Margaret without officially breaking off his engagement to Elizabeth Grey, he cheated on Margaret, he cheated on CB, and if Henry ever showed interest, he’d probably gladly commit the “disgusting, unnatural sin” Lady R accused George of.

Moreover, this is just a list of his sexual/romantic misdeeds. All the things on the above list are the forgivable, potentially understandable things he’s done.

Noticing the empty throne seats, CB asks if Anne isn’t joining the tournament, and Lady R answers Anne is worried the excitement might harm the baby. She snippily continues she hopes Anne didn’t see the same astrologer who told her she was having a son last time.

Getting ready to joust, Henry asks Jane if he can wear her favours. She agrees.

In the stands, Boleyn and John briefly glare at one another.

As Henry and Norris get ready to joust, Charles Brandon enters the stands to sit down with his wife and Lady R.

Norris knocks Henry off the horse onto the separator, and the horse briefly falls on Henry. Everyone stands up, and when Henry doesn’t immediately get up, Charles Brandon yells for everyone to move as he hurriedly pushes through the crowd. George also runs whilst wondering aloud if Henry’s dead. He gets there first, and Charles Brandon roughly yanks him away.

Henry’s bloody and unconscious, and the personal physician orders Charles Brandon to have him taken with extreme careful into the pavilion.

Charles Brandon and some other men pick Henry up to carry him.

Inside, Madge bursts into Anne’s chambers where Mark is standing nearby. When Madge explains what’s happened, Anne almost stumbles to the ground, Mark catches her, she clings to him, and Madge watches.

It’s clear Anne is in a panic for her husband and is simply drawing comfort from a friend, but of course, this will be used against her.

In the pavilion, the physician says Henry’s heart is weak. He can’t say with any certainty Henry will revive. Unable to accept this, Charles Brandon asks if the doctor will bleed Henry. Answering no, the physician says all they can do now is pray.

Charles Brandon makes the sign of the cross over Henry, and everyone kneels down to pray. Charles Brandon is unable to keep from opening his eyes to look at his best friend.

George and Boleyn leave, and Boleyn explains they need to keep everything from going into crisis.

At the palace, people are bustling around as Cromwell does paperwork. It turns out it’s been almost an hour, and there’s still no sign of improvement in Henry.

There’s a shot of the people and Henry in the pavilion.

In a chapel, Anne is praying. There’s a shot I really like of her lying stomach down on the floor with her arms spread.

Meanwhile, Cromwell explains to Boleyn and George he’s having a bill drawn up for Elizabeth’s coronation with Boleyn as Lord Protector until Elizabeth reaches majority age should Henry die.

The irony in this episode is painful. If Henry had just died, something Anne is desperate not to happen, both Anne and Elizabeth would have a much better fate than they will. Though Elizabeth eventually turned out okay, she suffered a lot.

Boleyn asks if Mary is under guard and the ports have been closed. Cromwell answers all this is being done as well as an emergency recall of Parliament.

In the pavilion, Charles Brandon again opens his eyes to look at Henry. Norris is trying to hold back sobs as he prays. Outside, Jane is kneeling on the ground praying.

Back in the castle, George and Boleyn discuss whether it would better for them if Henry lived or died.

The latter, definitely.

George continues, if Henry should die, Boleyn, as Lord Protector, would be ipso facto king.

Okay, this would be terrible, but at least, Anne wouldn’t end up with her head chopped off, and Elizabeth would have a true chance to get to know her mother.

In the chapel, Cromwell enters. Turning, Anne briefly looks at him before resuming her praying. Behind her, he kneels down to pray, too.

In the pavilion, Henry opens his eyes. The doctor is the first to notice. Everyone jumps up. Charles Brandon is the closest to Henry, and whenever Henry weakly says, “Charles,” Charles Brandon is unable to stop himself from letting out a laugh and thanking God.

He tells the others, “He’s alive!” He hugs someone. “Thank God!”

Nearby, Norris non-verbally shows his utter relief and lingering guilt.

Henry focuses on Jane’s favour.

Charles Brandon is still laughing whilst ordering everyone out so Henry can have some air.

In the castle, Boleyn insincerely declares they should be grateful Henry survived. Though distracted, Anne genuinely thanks God. Boleyn continues, since Henry did survive, she must be careful not to complicate her pregnancy. She expresses her desire to have Jane gone, and he says her being upset over Jane’s presence and Henry’s infidelity might cause her to miscarry. He promises her, once she has a son, she’ll be able to keep Henry’s interest and send Jane away.

Then, he creepily compares himself to an angel, calls her preborn baby “the Christ-child”, kneels down, puts his hands on her stomach, and kisses it.

I don’t believe there’s anything incestuous between Boleyn and Anne, but scenes like this make me shake my head at the fact Anne and George, who’ve never acted as anything other than siblings, are the ones who are eventually accused.

In Henry’s room, he’s being treated by the physician. The fall opened an old wound in Henry’s leg, and it’s developed an ulcer. As the physician chides Henry about not being as young as he used to be, Henry focuses on Jane’s favour.

At John’s, Charles Brandon says he has a message to Jane from Henry and it’s for her ears alone. Alone, he gives her a purse of money and a letter from Henry. Looking through the purse, she kisses the letter before holding it to her chest.

Back at court, there’s a feast. Anne expresses her relief Henry is okay, and he’s glad his accident didn’t cause her so much stress she miscarried. He promises he’s not going to be as careless as he was when he was younger.

Wyatt watches the couple, and Brereton’s hovering around.

Anne continues trying to push the match between Elizabeth and the dauphin. He brings up Mary’s lack of betrothal, and instead of realising marrying Mary off to some foreign noble might be a good idea, she insists he should care more about his legitimate daughter, Elizabeth.

“Charles!” Henry says in relief when he sees his friend.

I originally thought Charles Brandon claimed Jane returned the purse and the letter without opening the latter, but a re-watch made me realise his wording is ambiguous enough he could be lying and saying she opened neither.

Whichever it is, he continues she claimed to have no greater treasure than her honour and asked Henry to give her a present when she made an honourable marriage.

Historically, this did happen with Jane, but it seems the show’s presenting an alternate interpretation in regards to the third wife. Since the audience clearly saw her opening the purse and didn’t see or hear this speech, I’m assuming this is Charles Brandon trying to reinforce Henry’s opinion of Jane.

Henry’s happy, and Charles Brandon is happy he’s happy.

Meanwhile, Eustace and Cromwell talk about the emperor’s proposal, and Cromwell officially teams up with Eustace to bring Anne down.

Elsewhere, Jane and Henry meet, and he gets her to sit on his lap. He assures her he respects her honour, and he asks for a kiss. She complies, and Anne comes in.

I don’t advocate adultery, especially when one has a pregnant wife, but if a person is going to commit it and they know their wife finding out could cause her to miscarry the child they both deeply want, wouldn’t it be a good idea to try really hard not to let said wife find out? Henry could have locked the door, gone to the Seymour house, or done anything other than kiss Jane in a room Anne might decide to enter.

Ordering Jane to leave, Henry tries to calm down a hysterical Anne.

Later, the ladies, minus Jane, are in the parlour. Madge wonders if she should get Anne, but the head lady tells her to let Anne sleep.

There’s a scream, and they rush in to see Anne bleeding. Madge yells for the others to get help, and she and the head lady watch Anne frantically put her hands between her pelvis in an attempt to keep the baby in.

The next scene is of Henry angrily stomping through and slamming a door. In Anne’s chambers, the ladies are washing her bloody gown. He goes into Anne’s room, and despite her hysterically sobbing, he monstrously declares she lost **his** boy.

She blames his emotional abuse and infidelity for causing her so much stress she miscarried. Coldly declaring he’ll speak to her later, he leaves.

Her continuing screams have no effect on him.

Later, Cromwell quietly goes to see Henry. Henry claims Anne used witchcraft to seduce him into marriage, and therefore, the marriage is invalid. He declares he intends to remarry.

Fin.


End file.
